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Oglethorpe Invitational field 'as strong as ever'

After nearly a quarter century of attempting to stretch out beyond the Savannah golf market, the Oglethorpe Invitational will start to achieve its desired reach this weekend.

Players from 10 states and five countries will compete in the 54-hole event Friday through Sunday at the Wilmington Island Club. Nearly half of the 96-player field for the 24th annual Oglethorpe is made up of college golfers, while several top mid-amateurs from around the state will also be competing.

"Word of mouth is definitely spreading,'' said Wilmington Island Patrick Richardson head professional and tournament host. "About 90 percent of the guys who made the cut last year are coming back and we've added some new players. This year's field is as strong as any we've had.''

There will be one obvious absence in it.

Jack Hall will not attempt to defend the Oglethorpe title he won last year because of a scheduling conflict. Typically among the favorites in any local event, Hall will be in Atlanta preparing for a U.S. Amateur qualifier that begins Monday.

But there will be no shortage of capable players attempting to file the position Hall occupied last year, including eight of the top-10 finishers from a year ago. Jeff Knox, of Augusta, was the 2005 Oglethorpe runner-up and also finished second in this year's Georgia Amateur Championship two weeks ago. He'll join several Savannah golfers at the top of the field, including three-time Oglethorpe champion Doug Hanzel, two-time winner Danny Nelson, reigning Savannah City Amateur champion Austin Meadows and Armstrong Atlantic State University player Wills Smith.

"Obviously we'd like to have a player of Jack's caliber, but you certainly understand a guy trying to qualify for the U.S. Amateur,'' said Nelson, who is the tournament director in addition to being a participant. "One of our biggest challenges has always been finding a date that doesn't conflict with other events. There is no perfect date, but we've still managed to get a lot of very good players every year.

"We definitely saw more demand this year than last year and last year we saw more demand than the year before that. So I think word is out that the Oglethorpe is a good event to play.''

Tournament organizers will attempt to keep improving that word with another addition to the event this year.

In the first five years at the Wilmington Island Club, players have been served two meals daily in the club's dining room while scoreboards and standard bearers with the final four groups on Sunday have kept spectators informed. This year, there will be live entertainment Sunday as Leo Dean "the Buffet Man'' will perform in the club's ballroom from 12-3.

"That will just be a way for us to say thanks to the players and our members for a great weekend,'' Richardson said. "We want to keep finding ways to make this a special event that people want to come play in. I think we've been pretty successful doing that based on how many players come back to play every year.''

2006 Oglethorpe Invitational

Friday Tee Times

First Tee

7:45 a.m. - Sandy Burgess, Kenneth Tessier, Kyle McGinnis

7:53 - Jules Victor III, Chase MacFarland, John Southerland

8:01 - Jacob Davidson, Scott Saterbo, Tripp Kuhlke

8:09 - Michael Lewis, Fran Van Es, Mike Towson

8:17 - Toshi Hirati, Ryan Parker, Austin Meadows

8:25 - Wills Smith, Scott Weeks, Michael Sedacca

8:33 - Mike Jackson, Sr., Stuart Edwards, Ryan Higgins

8:41 - Keith Reeves, Paul Melson, Shan Saunders

8:49 - Morgan Nix, John Skeadas, Jeff Knox

8:57 - Mitchell Van Zelfden, Douglas Nelson, Tyler Kupper

9:05 - Kyle Collins, Jim Kamis, Hank Prescott

9:13 - Pierce Markowitz, Chuck Loncon, David Kilduff

9:21 - Jeff Dennis, Steven Kelley, Bob Smith

9:29 - Jack Hall III, Jeffrey Cammon, Jason Groover

9:37 - Daniel Russo, Earnest Bowles, Tommy Chu

9:45 - Jeff Wainwright, Mace Green, Sean Herb

10th Tee

7:45 a.m. - Toshiya Hirati, Drew Hanzel, Cole Stiles

7:53 - Tim Mahoney, Ryan Wilson, Danny Nelson

8:01 - Dylan Cox, Scott Melton, Kyle Stiles

8:09 - Roy Neal, Chris White, Joseph Brogdon

8:17 - Michael Gordy, Sof Oumohand, Allen O'Berry

8:25 - Chris York, Drew Aimone, Ben Dupont

8:33 - Wendell Akins, Tyler Daniel, Brent Herb

8:41- Jim Weeks, Dwight Rogers IV, Shane Sasser

8:49 - Charlie Lingle, Robert Quarterman, Jefferson Knox

8:57 - Frank Constanza, Stephen Saterbo, Raymond Mills

9:05 - Thomas Rood, Maury Alpert, Barry Brennan

9:13 - Eric Saterbo, Andrew Cartwright, Michael Young

9:21 - Lee Dennis, Doug Hanzel, Chip Usher

9:29 - Jeff Kirk, Danie Camphor, Ryan Peters

9:37 - Chris Holland, Andy Atkins, Tim Dudley

9:45 - Eric Roe, Frank Perry, Kalen Jensen

Gillins keeps heat on

Brendan Gillins' hot play this summer has continued during the last two weeks when the rising senior at Benedictine turned in some of his finest rounds.

On July 16, Gillins tied the course record at the Wilmington Island Club, shooting 65 from the championship tees. He made seven birdies and one bogey to match the score previously shot by Doug Hanzel and Trey Kent.

Then Tuesday, Gillins won a one-hole playoff to finish second in the 16 and 17-year-old division at the Georgia State Golf Association Junior Challenge Match. One of five Savannah players selected to the Southeast team, Gillins shot rounds of 71-72-143 at the Fields Ferry Golf Club in Calhoun to finish one shot behind division champion Sam Curtis.

Gillins, Keith Reeves, Casey Sheppard, Christopher Sells and Gus Beisel helped the Southeast to a win in the seven-team event.